This Time
by WhiskeyLips
Summary: It's 2029. Fall in New York City. Two old friends unexpectedly cross paths. Will they find lightning in a bottle?
1. Chapter 1

**Connie**

It had been well over a year since she'd been to New York City, and now she'd been twice in two months. It had been her dream since she was a little girl to one day live in the city. When she graduated from college she had moved there with her boyfriend, who became her fiancé, and later her husband, and she attended the Neighborhood Playhouse. Around the time she got her big break, the marriage was ending and she had headed to LA. She'd lived in LA mostly, for decades, considered it her home, and loved it there, but New York City energized her in a way no place else did. She had said many times that it was her intent to move back one day and she found herself wondering if now was the time. It was a beautiful late September morning and she was going in and out of stores on 5th Avenue, not buying a lot, just a few curated items. She had just come out of the Prada store when she heard her name. She looked around briefly but decided Connie was a common name and it likely wasn't meant for her and continued walking. But she hadn't gone much further when she heard it again, a little louder.

"Connie!" She stopped and looked around again, but paying more attention this time. Then she saw him, looking straight at her with a smile, his hand raised. Her heart started beating fast. She'd know that smile anywhere and she hurried towards him.

She slowed as she approached, just looking at him. It looked like he had more gray in his hair. He still had the beard he'd grown after the show ended, the one she'd noticed whenever she saw a picture of him or watched him on TV. He was wearing jeans and a white shirt and still looked trim and fit. He still looked sexy as hell and he still left her weak in the knees. She couldn't help but smile happily. "Chip!" she cried and reached out for a hug when she was standing in front of him. He held her close and for a little longer than necessary. Or was it that _she_ didn't let go? It didn't matter. For some crazy reason, after all these years, they were in the same place at the same time. She stepped back. "I can't believe I'm running into you here, of all places," she said.

"Same," he said. "I'm just here for a few days. Never expected to be walking on the street and see you." The smile never left his face. "Are you living here now?"

She shook her head. "I'm still in LA, but I've thought about moving back here several times. I'm actually here for Parents' Weekend." He frowned. "Yoby's a freshman at Columbia."

He smiled again, looking surprised. "I can't believe that little man is already in college."

She laughed. "I know. Makes me feel so old."

"You could never be old."

"You're still ridiculously kind. And such a flatterer." She smiled. "So why are _you_ here?" She looked up at him curiously.

"I'm visiting Addie. She works here at Ralph Lauren."

She smiled, her eyes lighting up. "The store?"

He shook his head. "The corporate office. She works in marketing. Been here for about 5 years now."

She just stood there, looking at him. Her heart was still racing. He could still take her breath away. In fact, maybe even more so than when they'd worked together. She had never really thought she'd run into him again. She had tried to get him to work on one of her projects with Amazon, with her, but it had never worked out. She had always assumed his wife had been to blame for that. Or maybe it was just that she was responsible for his life and career and it didn't fit her plan. At the time, she had thought it was too bad, because the part was perfect for him, but then later she thought maybe it was just as well. Sometimes it was best to leave things as they are. "So how long are you here?" she asked.

"I fly back home Monday."

"And home is…?"

"Still Nashville, believe it or not," he said with a chuckle. "I never could quite leave that place. I still do a lot in the community, play occasionally around town."

"But you've got that new show, right?"

He frowned a little and she wondered why that was. "Yeah, I do, although it's not that new anymore. I always kept my toe in the water, I guess. It didn't hurt to take things when they came my way, even though I was spending more time on music. In the end, it turned out to be the smart thing to do though. I still do some performing, but I guess I really have gotten too old for that these days." He laughed, but she thought she detected some sadness there. "But this job I'm in now has been really satisfying."

She knew it was past lunch time, but she hadn't eaten, so she took a chance. "Do you have time to get a bite? So we can catch up? I'd really like to hear about what's going on with you now. Or have you already eaten?"

He looked, for half a second, like he was going to tell her he couldn't, but he seemed to change his mind. "I would love to do that," he said, with a smile. "Where should we go?"

**Chip**

He'd been so surprised to randomly see her on the street in New York that he hadn't stopped at first. He thought maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him, but when he turned and saw her red hair still long and wavy, he knew that wasn't it. "Connie!" he called out, standing where he was, letting other pedestrians bump his shoulder or arm as they passed. She looked around briefly then kept walking. When he had seen her face, even with sunglasses on, he'd known it was her. "Connie!" he called out again, a little louder that time. When she turned around again, he smiled and raised his hand.

She walked towards him then, the smile on her face causing his heart to beat faster. She was wearing a short casual dress, a blue that reminded him of the dress she'd worn to the Correspondent's Dinner they had attended back during the first season on Nashville. She was still trim and she still had those magnificent long legs. As she got closer, he noticed she had on sandals and that her hair looked a little lighter than he remembered, very casual, the way she would dress sometimes, when she wasn't working. Her smile was the same though. Wide open, full of life, full of promise. It reminded him how much he had missed her, even when she was still on the show. Their lives had intersected in a way that had never left him, even though she had eventually.

Here she was, though, in the last place he'd ever expected to see her. She stopped for a moment right before she got to him and then she walked up to him, reaching out for a hug. He pulled her in close, burying his nose in her hair, breathing in deeply. He didn't want to let her go and she didn't seem to want to pull away. But they were standing on a busy sidewalk in New York City and people were bumping into them on all sides and he finally let her go.

* * *

As they walked down the street, he had taken a couple of her heavier bags and she had slipped one hand through his arm, occasionally bumping against him. They talked about mundane things – the weather, traffic, how impossible the airport was. She told him she was staying at the Plaza and he told her he was staying in Murray Hill with Addie, sleeping on her couch. He told her about running into Sam and Clare now and then, back in Nashville – separately, of course, as they had been oil and water since the first season of the show – and she told him about her last trip to Mexico. It was hard to believe it had been so long since they'd seen each other.

She asked if he minded Thai food and he said no and then they headed for a small, unassuming Thai restaurant near Rockefeller Center. Since it was past the normal lunchtime, they were able to seat themselves, and chose a small corner table near the window. A server came and left menus and then they sat for a moment, just looking at each other and smiling.

**Connie**

"So how did Yoby end up at Columbia?" he asked.

She laughed a little. "I think he was ready to break away from Mom, actually." He smiled. "But, you know, he's such a smart kid and he wanted to go to a top notch school and he always loved New York City. They have an engineering program that has business school elements to it and it was a perfect match."

He shook his head. "I never thought he'd end up in engineering. He was always such a silly, fun-loving kid. Not so serious, like my boy."

"He still is, but this has always been intriguing for him. And it's kinda nice to see someone go into that field who actually has a personality, you know?" She paused. "Not that your son doesn't have one, of course." He chuckled softly. "And so, Addie's in marketing? And in fashion, no less."

He shrugged. "She's always been my most outgoing kid. Never knew a stranger, extrovert like me. I know a lot of people always thought Taylor was like me, because of the music, but it was really always Addie first." He winked. "The fashion thing, though, was a total fluke. But Ralph Lauren makes her kind of clothes, so it was a pretty good fit. And she's having fun."

The server came and took their order, leaving with the menus. She sat slightly forward. "I've really enjoyed your show. And I'm constantly amazed at how you haven't changed a bit. You still look the same."

He laughed. "Well, a lot of that is makeup and lighting." He smirked playfully. "And hair color." She grinned. "I'm still playing younger, I guess, so I couldn't show off _all_ my gray. You, however, really _do_ still look like you're in your forties."

She laughed. "I'm so glad I do." She ran her fingers through the hair around her face. "But for me it's highlights. They cover a multitude of sins." She leaned a little closer. "Did I read that you'd been upped to regular this coming season?"

He nodded. "I have. Which means I'll be out in Denver a lot more. So it's a mixed blessing. I really have been grateful to be able to live most of the time in Nashville with just a few trips out. On the other hand, a bigger role means I get to see more of Chase."

"What's he doing?" she asked.

"He works at an aerospace engineering firm. He actually travels a lot, which he enjoys, and he gets to be creative. He's in his element, for sure."

"And I see Taylor is still performing. I see promos for her shows now and then."

He nodded. "She's doing pretty well. Luckily, it was never her plan to be a big superstar, although I don't think she would have minded. But she's constantly touring and making music she loves with her husband."

"That's amazing. It's great that our kids are doing what they love to do. I know I always felt grateful to be able to do that and make a decent living at it."

"More than decent, I would say."

She felt herself blush a little. "I've enjoyed getting behind the camera though." She sighed. "I really wish you'd been able to do that series with me, you know." She was referring to one of the projects she'd worked on for Amazon that had lasted for 5 seasons. She had created the part with him in mind and had been disappointed when he'd turned it down. More than just disappointed, actually. She'd been angry at him and it had created a strain on their friendship that had ultimately led to them sliding out of each other's lives. At least until now.

He raised his eyebrows. "But you had a great leading man. What was his name – McDreamy?"

She laughed. "Mc_Steamy_. And yes, he was fantastic, but" – she sighed again – "the role was for _you_." Eric Dane had been wonderful. He had that playfulness, mixed with sexiness, that Chip had. The kind that had made him a perfect Deacon to her Rayna, and the fact that he'd just said no, with no real explanation, had really hurt. "I just never understood why you said no. And with no explanation."

He looked down at the table, then back at her. His eyes had a weary sadness to them that surprised her. "Connie, I wanted to do it. I was really happy you'd asked me and, yeah, I could see why you wanted me for it." He cleared his throat. "But I couldn't do it. I wanted to, but I couldn't."

"But why? I don't understand. You weren't doing another show." She realized she had still not really gotten over it.

He looked at her for a long moment. "Patty wouldn't let me," he said quietly. "And I know, I was weak then, but trying to untangle things then was…challenging." He sighed and she thought she detected a shininess in his eyes. "I kicked myself for the longest time for not just telling her that I was done, that she wasn't going to fuck with my life anymore." He reached his hand out and squeezed her fingers for a brief second, a touch that was both hot and electric. Then he drew his hand back. "It was a really difficult time. We didn't really engage much with each other, except when we were in public or around the kids." He stopped and rubbed his face. "I needed her to keep the wheels on the bus. Take care of my music career, that kind of thing. I felt ashamed that I was so selfish."

She felt pain for him in her heart and wished she could have reached out and hugged him. "Oh, Chip," she murmured. "You couldn't possibly be selfish."

He waved his hand. "Let's not talk about that." He took a second to breathe in and then out. He smiled. "You _did_ finally win that Emmy you should have won long before that. And I was having a bit of success with my music." In truth, it had been more than a bit of success.

She gave him a genuine smile. One of the things she knew about him was his love for music and the joy he felt from creating it. It reminded her of the times he'd sing his latest, as she curled her legs up underneath her. Most of the time, when he gave her a private show, she knew the songs were about a yearning and had a wistfulness about them that she recognized. She breathed in, not wanting to go down that mind trip. "I was so happy for you when you got invited to join the Opry."

He nodded. "That was huge. I never thought it would happen. In the very beginning, I kind of hoped for it, but then I knew I was just that guy on a TV show. I might play country music and write my own songs and knew so many music folks in Nashville, but even with all that, I realized they just saw me as a TV actor. And I kinda gave up. So it was a huge surprise. I always wonder if they just did it because they felt bad that I'd performed there so many times." He smiled. "At least I know they'll have me as often as I want to be there."

Just then the server brought their food and broke the moment. She watched as he picked up his chop sticks and started to eat. She looked at his fingers and remembered how the rough callouses had felt on her skin, when Deacon and Rayna were having an intimate moment. She remembered he always had a man smell – clean, faintly woody, a sexy mix. The chemistry they'd had together was unlike anything she'd had with another male costar. Especially the first year of the show. Those had been heady times, and it had been easy to get caught up in it all.

He looked up at her then and she smiled, then looked down and slid her chop sticks around some rice and pepper.

**Chip**

He had eventually stopped thinking about having to turn down Connie's offer. They had not talked to each other about it. It had all gone through their 'people', as those things typically did. The reality was that, based on their relationship and familiarity with each other, it would have been normal for her to reach out to him herself. But it was because of all that and all the swirl that had gone on around them that made her do it differently. Truth be told, he'd felt a little hurt by it, thought she should have figured out a way to reach out to him personally, but it was also when Patty had been at her most rabid about keeping him in a tight circle. He hated thinking about that too. In those days, she was rarely not stuck to him like glue and so he hadn't even watched the show until recently.

He cleared his throat. "So it looks like you're doing more producing than being in front of the camera these days."

She laughed. "Well, I _am_ 62\. I can't pull off those romantic lead roles like I could ten years ago." She pointed her chop sticks at him. "That's what's so unfair about men." She had a smile on her face, so he knew she was being tongue in cheek. "You can color your hair and just have a little distinguished gray at your temples, like you do, and still be that handsome rake with the hot girlfriend or wife."

He raised his eyebrows. "I think you could still give any other woman a run for her money. Even today."

She shrugged. "Well, these days I kind of enjoy being creative behind the camera. It makes me wish I'd have had the creative control my title suggested back when we were doing Nashville. But if Callie couldn't even control the story, I knew there was little chance for me." She smiled. "Anyway, no sense rehashing that. So, do you come to New York regularly?"

He shook his head. "Nah. But I like to visit my kids, so it means I come here several times a year to see Addie and spend some time doing the touristy things while she's working. We're actually going out to the Hamptons this weekend." He smiled. "I've never been, so, as she's told me, we'll live like the rich folk for a couple days."

"I'll be at Columbia all weekend. They have all these events planned. Even some just for the parents. I'm just glad Yoby wants me here." She laughed. "The Hamptons sounds like fun though. When do you go back home?"

He really wished he'd run into her earlier. It seemed like this might be the only time they got to spend together. "Monday. Then I go back to Denver on Wednesday."

She had a dreamy-eyed look on her face for a moment. "I haven't been in Nashville in a while. I've been there a handful of times for one thing or another or to visit friends."

He smiled. "You should come again sometime."

Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe I'll do just that."

**Connie**

They couldn't stop talking. He told her about all the things that had changed in Nashville. And all the things that hadn't. They reminisced about the show, something that, over time, had left more fond memories than not.

"I still remember how scared you got every time we went in the studio," he said with a grin.

She shook her head, smiling back at him. "You know that terrified me. Even in a controlled environment. I wanted it, but I was terrified of it too. I mean, all the rest of y'all were actually good vocalists. I had to have hours of coaching to even be half as good as the rest of you."

He shook his head. "That's not true. Never was. You know that." He smiled fondly at her. "I will acknowledge that you were scared to sing live. I _do_ definitely remember that."

She laughed a little and put her hands over her face for a second. "And I remember telling you every single time I was never going to let you talk me into it again." She shook her finger at him playfully. "I never did that again, you know. You have some magic power over me to make me do that."

He bit his lower lip. "It's my superpower," he said softly, a touch of melancholy in his voice.

She sighed, her smile fading. That must have been what it was, because she'd told the truth – he was the only person who could convince her to do that. She never understood it really, because she would tell him like fifty times that she wouldn't do it, under any circumstances, but then she'd be on a stage and he would look deeply into her eyes and transport her out of her body, it felt like. He gave her courage and he had a way of making everything around them disappear so that she could get through it. She lowered her eyes for a second, then looked back at him. "It wasn't the only superpower you had," she said.

The words hung in the air. She tried to eat but all she ended up doing was moving the food around on her plate. It was hard to believe it had been more than fifteen years now. They were working on something that, back then, she had thought was going to be really special. She and Hayden Panettiere had been the names on the show then, but she had really been surprised by the quality of the rest of the cast. And no one more so than Chip. He was a dream to work with and their chemistry had been palpable, onscreen and off. The best part of the experience now had been him.

He cleared his throat and she looked up. "So what are you working on now?"

She breathed in, then out, smiling at him. "I got a script recently, a real psychological…thriller's not the word, but it's a thoughtful kind of thing. Very real life, I guess not really unlike Dirty John, only flipped kind of, about a woman with a secret life. A little bit film noir too."

He smiled. "You give yourself the lead role?"

She shook her head. 'Oh no. it's a woman in her thirties and I sure can't play that anymore." She smiled. "I'm getting someone to review the script for me and do some break outs. We'll pitch it and then start working on putting the talent together."

"I'll look forward to that then."

She laid her chopsticks down on the plate and then put her elbows on the table and linked her fingers under her chin. "So, did I hear somewhere you're a grandfather now?" she asked.

He smiled, a genuine smile, and his eyes crinkled happily then. "I am. Two little granddaughters named Livy and Saoirse." He looked at her. "You want to see pictures?"

She nodded. "I do."

* * *

They had hardly noticed the server take their plates away, as they shared pictures and stories and laughed together over the twists and turns of their lives since they'd last seen each other. They had fallen back into a familiar rhythm, as though it hadn't been eleven years since she'd been in Nashville. She told him about all of the things she was working on outside the Hollywood world and he told her stories about touring, more than once telling her that he always felt like Deacon, trying but not quite succeeding in mimicking Rayna's success. Eleven years had been a long time and there was a lot to catch up on and they both seemed intent on filling in every blank for the other.

Finally it became apparent they had likely long overstayed their welcome. The bill was still sitting on the edge of the table and, other than a small handful of customers at the bar, they were the only ones sitting in the main dining room area. She looked around. "How long have we been here?" she asked.

He looked at his phone. "Nearly three hours," he said, looking surprised.

"Oh, wow," she said. "I guess we should go?" She smiled. They both reached for the bill and when their hands touched, she felt that familiar electricity. It startled her – and she thought him too – but she didn't quickly pull her hand away like she might have once upon a time.

He smiled warmly. "I'll get it," he said, and then she pulled her hand back.

He put his credit card on the tray and then they waited, silently, while the server took it away. When she returned, he signed the bill and then put the card back in his wallet. They both stood up. But she didn't want it to end. "So, it's the cocktail hour," she said. "Can I buy you one?"

He looked at her for a long moment, then he smiled. "Yeah," he said, and then he followed her out of the restaurant and onto the street.

**Chip**

It felt like nothing had changed between them. They'd had an ease with each other from the moment they'd met for the very first table read. He'd been in such awe of her and felt a little intimidated with the idea he would be playing lead to Tami Taylor. Of course, she wasn't playing Tami Taylor, but that was really how he knew her. He'd always had a bit of a crush on her – a big crush actually, if he was honest – and wasn't sure he could measure up. But she was warm and welcoming, right from the start. He learned so much from her and it had served him well throughout the time she was on the show and then beyond.

The chemistry they had hadn't hurt. He felt it right away although he wasn't sure she did immediately. Or maybe it was just that she held back. In any case, it had developed quickly and easily and it had scared them both a little bit. Every kiss, every touch, every time they were near each other, it hung between them. It wasn't until the elevator kiss that they'd had to confront it. It was a small space, especially with a camera, and they hadn't had a lot of room to maneuver. It had been a little too real and that was when it became impossible to ignore.

"Chip?" She brought him back to the present. He turned to look at her and he guessed she could see the confusion on his face.

"What?" he asked.

She smiled. "I was thinking the Rose Bar at the Plaza. Does that sound okay to you?"

He smiled back at her. "Yeah. Sounds great."

* * *

It was a nice walk. It was a pleasant day, not too hot, but sunny and clear. As they approached the hotel, he asked, "Do you always stay here?"

"Most of the time. I know it's a splurge, but I love it." She waved her hand in the air and laughed. "And considering I'm 30 minutes or so from Columbia, it's pretty inconvenient for the weekend, but" – she shrugged good-naturedly – "whatever."

They headed for the steps and he looked over at her. "It seems very you. You're still an intriguing mix." She gave him a look that made his heart pound. And then he wondered if she'd chosen the hotel she was staying in on purpose.

_A/N: Don't worry, I haven't given up on my other story. This just sort of flowed out over Thanksgiving weekend and I decided to post it, mainly to remind myself to write the rest of it. It's just 2 chapter story, but meant to be fun. Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chip**

They walked up the steps to the front doors. A bellman opened the door and they walked into the opulent lobby. He looked around and then up to the ceiling. "Wow," he said.

She turned towards him and smiled. "Have you never been here before?" she asked. He shook his head. "It's a splurge, for sure. But they take such good care of you here." She plucked the bags he was carrying from his hands. "I'm going to go drop these off at the concierge desk and I'll be right back."

He watched as she walked off, admiring her still trim figure. His heart was beating hard again and he felt nervous. He wasn't really sure why, except that it had been years since he'd even heard from her. In the first few years after she left the show, they had texted routinely, shared pictures on their private Instagram accounts, and had the occasional call when he could get some time alone. But gradually that changed. Fewer texts, even fewer pictures – although for year or two she still sent him her annual Christmas card picture – and the calls stopped. It was hard to sustain the friendship, given the circumstances, and he assumed she had moved on.

He put his hands in his pockets and looked around. It was so her. She had that glamorous side to her and she loved to dress up. He never failed to be enchanted by her when she was dressed to the nines. But then he also appreciated the other side of Connie Britton, the one who dressed in jeans and shorts and t-shirts and sandals, her ponytail pulled through the back of a ballcap and wearing one of her many pairs of glasses. _I like to color coordinate!_ He smiled to himself, remembering her telling him that. She was sophisticated and elegant, but also down to earth and hilarious. _God, I've missed her._

He watched as she walked back towards him, relieved of her shopping bags, with just her purse, the strap crossed over her chest. She smiled happily and he thought she looked ageless. She approached and slid her arm through his. "It will all magically be in my room when I go upstairs," she said. "So can I buy you that drink now?" She winked at him.

He smiled at her. "Yeah. You can do that."

She led the way to the Rose Club, telling him about it on the way. "It's one of those really lush clubs. Reminds me a little of the Patterson House, only not as hard to find." She laughed. When they entered the club, she pointed at a small out of the way table. "How about there?"

"Lead the way," he said with a chuckle. He noticed it was more like a one-sided booth, where they'd be sitting next to one another, rather than across, and he liked that.

They sat down, careful not to touch, but sitting closely enough so that they could lean in towards each other to talk. She seemed just a little nervous. Had the whole time they'd been together. She was like a little bird, perched on a wire, ready to fly off if someone got too close. And yet she'd also seemed warm and inviting, letting her hand brush against his or laying her hand on his arm when she wanted to emphasize something.

She'd always done that. She was a toucher, she'd told him, back in the very beginning. _Not in an overt way,_ she had said and then laughed. _Just a friendly way._ When he first met her and they were getting to know each other, he had learned it was _her_ way. She'd bump his shoulder, grab his arm, pat his knee, or squeeze his hand. Always with one of her big, beautiful smiles.

He would feel the electricity between the two of them every time they sat next to each other, every time they were on set together, every time she touched him. He wondered if she'd felt the same and went back and forth between deciding she did and she didn't. But he was married, had a family back in LA, and so he wasn't available. Or so he kept telling himself. The pull was strong though.

She reached her hand out to touch his wrist. "I'm going to make a stop at the ladies' room. Would you order me a whiskey? Whatever you drink." She smiled. She remembered. The server came a few seconds later and he ordered two glasses of Booker's neat. Then he watched as she slipped into the restroom.

They'd set the stage very early in the show that Deacon and Rayna had had a very passionate love affair sometime in their past. It was obvious from the way the story was written, and how they'd decided to play it, that the love had never gone away. But things had changed between the two, likely due to his alcoholism as well as the very early hints that Maddie might be Deacon's daughter. The fourth episode was the one that changed everything. At the end of the third episode, they'd had a poignant and heartbreaking scene where Rayna essentially told Deacon she needed to cut him loose.

The next episode started with a scene that had their characters in bed together – a misdirection, of course, but when they had finally finished shooting the scene, they were both a mix of emotions. The lighting during filming was dim. They had little on in the way of clothes. They were tangled up in each other and, despite that fact that there were a ton of other people on set, they were both turned on. _That_ was obvious, to both of them. Everywhere her hands had been was on fire. His head was spinning. They had barely looked at each other when they were finished.

_He had hurried back to his trailer, closing the door behind him and sagging against it, breathing hard. Each time they'd shot the scene, he fell deeper and deeper into his character. They'd talked so much about Deacon and Rayna's history that it was becoming harder to separate himself from Deacon. It didn't help – or maybe it was that it didn't hurt – that he was so attracted to Connie. He'd dream about her, in a scenario very similar to this one. He had thought, more than once, that he loved her. Which had to be crazy, because he was married, had been married for years, and had a family. This wasn't him._

_But she had kissed him. Really kissed him. The pretend kissing had gotten more heated with every single take, until the last one, the one that stuck. The one that was 'perfect!', according to the director. He wasn't sure if she had tugged at his lip or he had tugged at hers, but suddenly her tongue was in his mouth and he could taste her. The kiss was intoxicating. He didn't think it was obvious, but he was almost shaking as he looked up and angrily said 'what?' at the end of the scene._

_He leaned his head back against the door, closing his eyes for a second. Then he pushed back and walked aimlessly inside the trailer, dragging his fingers through his hair. There was a knock and it startled him. He turned and went to the door, surprised when he opened it and she was standing there, her eyes wide, running her tongue over her bottom lip. He reached for her hand and pulled her inside._

_Everything had happened so fast after that. They had held each other tight, kissing each other like they were drowning. He ran his hands down her back and cupped her bottom. He felt her hands run up and down his back. The kiss was hot, he felt hot, and he knew they were treading into dangerous territory. It wouldn't take much for them to do something they might both regret._

_Except he wasn't feeling any regret._

_He pulled his lips from hers and looked down at her. She was breathing hard, her lips swollen. Her hands were at his waist and he saw sadness in her eyes. He briefly pressed his lips against hers, his fingers tangled in her hair. When he looked down at her again, she bit her lip. "I don't think we should do this again," she whispered, with a sigh._

"_I know," he said, although that was a lie. He wanted to do it with no one else but her. That had hit him in a blinding flash. But he knew why she'd said it and he knew it was what they needed to do, but, as it turned out, it was a lot harder than either of them had realized to give each other up._

"Hey." Her voice brought him back to the present, as she stood at the table. For a moment, he wasn't able to speak. She slid into the seat and smiled. "Penny for your thoughts," she said teasingly.

* * *

She had filled the air with conversation, after he had haltingly managed to tell her he was wondering what she was into these days in her spare time. He was always impressed with the issues she focused on. He had always stayed away from political issues, especially publicly. Maybe a casualty of his lifelong need to please, but he never knowingly wanted to tackle anything controversial or politically charged. While he was sure some thought he needed to be more vocal, he was satisfied with lending his support to causes closer to his heart, such as LLS, Musicians on Call, and the TJ Martell Foundation. He felt good about the work he did for those and other similar organizations, whenever he was asked. He loved her passion though and never minded listening.

He ordered them another round as he was telling her about the upcoming Light the Night event. "I'm surprised every year with the level of participation. But I guess there are new fans who like to be a part of it." He laughed. "If you can believe it, there's still a really devoted small group of Nashies that come every year."

She smiled. "And I'm sure they're now fans of your new show."

He nodded. "So they say. They're nice ladies, though, and certainly dedicated to the cause. Which I do appreciate."

She raised her eyebrows. "Ladies, huh?"

He shook his head. "All middle-aged or older. Mostly our age. And _married_." He winked at her. He took a sip of his drink, then cleared his throat. He was a little nervous about probing, but he wanted to know. "So are you, uh, involved with anyone these days?" He tried to sound very matter-of-fact, but he was pretty sure he failed at it.

She widened her eyes just slightly, raising her eyebrows. Then she shook her head. "No, nothing on that front." She shrugged. "I was so busy raising Yoby and working that I didn't have a lot of time for that." She rubbed her fingers on the wood of the table. "I mean, I _dated_. I had friends who liked to try to fix me up. Lovely men, all of them. But not what I was looking for." She wrinkled her nose. "There was really no one _else_ I was interested in." He caught something in her eyes then, picked up on her 'no one _else'_, and hoped he wasn't just engaging in wishful thinking. She leaned a little towards him. "So, what's been going on with _you_?"

He breathed in deeply.

**Connie**

She hadn't wanted to be nosy, to be obvious, to be blunt. But she'd noticed almost immediately he wasn't wearing a wedding ring. She wondered what it meant. Was he divorced, separated, widowed? She had tried not to look at his left hand too much, but when he wasn't looking at her, she'd steal a glance and noted there didn't seem to be pale skin indicating it had recently been taken off. Of course, maybe it was too tight or he was having it sized or getting a new one, or _something_. She didn't want to assume. She had wondered if he was going to say anything, but maybe it just meant, well, nothing.

He gave her a crooked smile. "Um, I'm divorced. Five years now." So that was it. She wondered why she hadn't heard about it, although she admitted to herself she had stopped following him, thinking it was better not to make herself miserable.

Her heart was pounding, so hard she was surprised he couldn't hear it. Her mouth was dry and she felt lightheaded and, truthfully, emotional. "Well." She smiled, hoping she didn't sound as shaky as she felt. "Should I be sorry?"

He shook his head. "Nah. It was a very long time coming. Longer than it should have been, quite honestly, but, as you know, she made herself indispensable, put me in a position where it would be hard to cut the cord."

She _did_ know that. _She's my manager, he told her. Because I need one and, well, it saves money for her to do it. She does a good job at it, so…._ She had known, even without him telling her, that it was Patty's way of drawing her line in the sand. She also knew how miserable he'd been, though, how torn he was. She'd always felt so sad for him. "So, then, are _you_ seeing anyone?"

He shook his head and drained his glass. "Nah. Too set in my ways these days."

She smiled. "But you're still such a catch." She could feel the heat in her face and hoped he couldn't see it. "So what happened?" Almost immediately she waved her hand and shook her head. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that."

He smiled and shrugged. "It's okay." Then she noticed the clenching of his jaw. "She extracted way more of a penance from me than I probably should have allowed. In hindsight, I probably just should have cut my losses and lived with the consequences. But, as you know, there were the kids. And then it was the music career. She knew she had me over a barrel with that, dependent on her to make that work. I'd have been dead in the water without her help and she knew it. Used it to force my hand." He stopped. She could see the anger, still close to the surface, on his face. His voice was tight.

"What happened to change that?"

"I was getting more acting work. It meant giving up most of the music, but acting was more lucrative and, when I would get some recurring roles, a little more dependable. My time in the music business had kind of come and gone by then anyway. I didn't need her anymore. It made it easier to cut the cord." He sighed. "When I got The Donovans, that was the break point." He breathed in. "I wish I'd called you then."

She reached out and put her hand over his. "I wish you had too. I never heard about it, but you know I pay no attention to that kind of thing." She laughed a little. "I'm so oblivious."

He smiled. "I'm not sure I believe you're oblivious, but we didn't really make an announcement or anything. It was all just done quietly. I think only the really diehard fans even knew that happened. The music thing was mostly over, in any significant way, and I'd kind of ridden Deacon Claybourne as long as I could." He shrugged. "And it was time. Long past time."

She thought about that. Chip could get stuck in the whole cycle of doing the right thing, putting others' needs ahead of his own, especially when it came to his kids. She had recognized too that, once his family moved to Nashville and his wife had basically become his manager, it would have been tough to not rely on that. He had definitely stayed with it longer than he should have, in her opinion, but it was kind of who he was. She knew he was unhappy, but had tried to just be a friend. "Well, I guess the good news is that it didn't fall on us," she said.

He smiled a little sadly. "You know she always knew about us, don't you? Or thought she knew." She had wondered about that, but had never been completely sure. "And it was why she locked everything down. She wanted me to pay for that. I'm not sure she ever really wanted me after that, but you know." He sighed. "I hated how things were. I hope you know I didn't want that."

She nodded. "I thought that was the case. But it was the right thing then. And you know I never blamed you." She smiled and winked. "I'm guessing she never knew the kisses were real."

He laughed. "She was never completely certain we weren't sneaking around."

"Maybe we should have been." He raised an eyebrow. She swallowed, suddenly feeling emotional and vulnerable. "You know, I never forgot that weekend, Chip. It was amazing and powerful and glorious, all wrapped up together." She could see emotions, probably similar to her own, cross his face. She could feel tears threatening and she didn't want him to see that. "You've been my bar ever since," she whispered. "And no one else has come close."

_She woke up to the sun streaming through the windows where they'd left the curtains open. She lay there quietly, paying attention to her body. She felt satiated. That was the first thing she thought about. She felt filled up in a way she had never felt before in her life. Then she focused on the soreness between her legs. It was a good soreness though, the remnant of a weekend filled with lovemaking, with a man who had filled her up there. Stretched her out in a way that made her nerve endings sing. She wondered if she would ever forget what he'd felt like inside her. Just thinking about that made her nipples tighten. The way they had for him._

_They had driven to east Tennessee the day before, to this beautiful place not far from Knoxville, hidden in the mountains, a supremely private place. Perfect for an intimately romantic getaway. They had known they would do this, after the kisses on set had turned unexpectedly real. She had knocked on his trailer door, not stopping to think about what she was doing, only wanting to know what he would feel like, wanting to touch his skin and every part of his body. He had kissed her, with a passion she had not felt before, and she realized she was returning that same passion to him. They were right there at the precipice, ready to step into something that felt so much bigger than the two of them._

_They had known then, though, that it couldn't continue, but promised each other that one singular weekend. One time to know what it would feel like. They had stayed in the room, bringing in room service just to fuel them for another round. Or two or three. She sighed and then felt his fingers on hers. She turned her head towards him and he was looking at her, his eyes filled with sadness. She rolled onto her side, facing him. "This was perfect," she said softly._

_He nodded, but didn't say anything at first. He reached out and pushed her hair back off her face. "I don't want it to end," he said finally._

_She sighed again. "Me either."_

But it had and they had stepped back into the realm of friendship, where it had all started back at the beginning. The spark had always been there, but he had made his choice, albeit reluctantly, and she had always respected and honored it. There was the promise, that last day she was in Nashville, to stay close, but even that had finally faded away with the lack of proximity and the inevitable grind of daily life, things that took them farther apart from each other.

Yet here he was, and everything that had kept them from each other was gone. The question was, were the feelings still there? _Could we recapture what's been lost?_

"I think we can," he said. "Or at least try." That was when she realized she actually said that last thought out loud.

**Chip**

She smiled at him and he saw a little pink high on her cheeks. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" she asked.

He moved to get up from his seat and she did as well. They walked together to the elevator, close but not quite touching. When they were in the elevator, he reached for her hand. She looked up at him and gave him the hint of a smile, then threaded her fingers through his. She reached out and pressed the button for her floor.

They had stood there, as the elevator rose, both looking up as they passed each floor. He thought about turning and pushing her against the elevator wall, kissing her, like Deacon had kissed Rayna, but he waited. There would be enough time for kisses. And touches. And so much more.

* * *

When they got to her room, she pulled her key card from her purse and waved it over the lock mechanism. There was a soft mechanical spinning noise and a click. She opened the door and walked in ahead of him. The door closed behind him. It was quiet in the room, which surprised him. They were in New York City, one of the busiest places on earth, and usually there was a cacophony of noise. But there was a quiet hush in the room. There was a light on next to the bed, a lush king-sized bed with the sheet and cover pulled down on that side of the bed.

He didn't have time to look at anything else or think about anything else. She turned around, dropping her purse and key card on the floor, and stepped into his arms. His mouth came down on hers, seeking, exploring, drinking her in. Her arms were around his neck and she was kissing him back hungrily. She arched her back slightly, tipping her pelvis towards him and he breathed in, letting his hands run down her back and settle on her bottom. For a moment he thought about how it felt a little more full than he remembered, but she was fisting the hair on the back of his neck and she moaned softly against his mouth. He focused his attention back on her mouth, savoring the feel of her lips on his, her tongue against his, the taste of her, and how she chewed a little on his bottom lip.

He suddenly pulled his mouth from hers, but their lips were still almost brushing each other. "Is this really gonna happen?" he whispered.

She nodded. He could feel her breath against his mouth. "If you want it to," she murmured softly.

He pressed his lips to hers, then slid his hands up to lightly rest on her hips. "I need to make a quick call first," he said. Then, seeing the confusion in her eyes, he explained. "I just need to let Addie know I won't be coming back to her place." He raised his eyebrows in a question, wanting to be sure she wanted him to stay. She bit her lower lip and just nodded.

He stepped back and pulled his phone from his pocket. She slid her hands down his arms and walked towards the bathroom, giving him privacy. He called Addie, raising the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Dad," came her cheery voice over the line. "Where are you?"

"I, uh, ran into an old friend and we, um, came to her hotel for a drink…."

She laughed softly. "So you're staying out all night?" There was a note of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah."

"Okay. See you tomorrow." She paused. "Have fun." He smiled and then disconnected.

_They'd said little on the drive back to Nashville. She mostly looked out the side window and he concentrated on driving. It was strange – he felt both filled up and empty at the same time. She'd been everything he could have imagined, and more. They had fit each other like a hand in a glove. The sex had lifted him up and out of himself and he had felt like the rest of the world had disappeared, leaving only the two of them together._

_They had slept wrapped up in each other's arms and then, too soon, it was time to leave. They would be going back to the real world as though none of it had happened. Except that it had and he knew he'd been changed by it and he believed she had as well._

_On the drive she sighed a few times, and he would look over at her, but he left her to her own thoughts. As they approached Lebanon, she turned her head and then her body to face towards him. He looked at her and then took her hand. "That was amazing," she whispered and he felt his heart soar. "And I know we agreed this was the only time we'd give into this, but I so don't want that to be the case." She paused and when he glanced at her, he saw tears in her eyes. "But it has to be. We both know that."_

_He felt tears spring to his eyes as he nodded solemnly. He'd known it all along. He couldn't leave Patty and the kids. He was committed to them. "I feel selfish," he said._

"_Yeah," she said and he heard regret in her voice. "I do too." She sighed. "I don't want us to lose each other though. I want us to stay friends. __Loving__ friends. Do you think we can?"_

"_It'll be hard, but I think we can do anything."_

"_I know you need to be where you are right now, but maybe someday…."_

_He looked at her. "Maybe," he said, nodding, but he couldn't imagine how that would work. Maybe when the kids had grown. He cleared his throat. "We can. We can do all this – be friends and coworkers and we'll just always know we're connected."_

_She tried to smile. "It was magic," she said. "And it will be magic sometime again. I feel that in my soul."_

_He squeezed her hand, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He looked at her and saw a tear tracking down her cheek as well. Hopefully she was right and there would be magic again._

When he turned around, she was standing at the bathroom door, completely naked. He hitched his breath as he took her in. They were both older, it was true, and their bodies had changed, but in his eyes she looked just the same. The long, sexy legs. The lush, full breasts. Her amazing hair floating over her shoulders. And that smile. The one where she looked both sweetly wholesome and amazingly sultry at the same time. He couldn't see it from where he stood, but he knew she still had that ever so slight uneven tooth, which he'd thought just made her all the more alluring.

She slowly walked towards him until she was standing in front of him. Wordlessly she reached out and unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it back off his chest. She kept her eyes on him as she reached down and pulled at his belt, then unzipped his jeans. He almost felt like he couldn't breathe. When she took him in her hands, he involuntarily closed his eyes and moaned. He wanted to push her hands aside and just shed his clothes, but he made himself stay focused. He opened his eyes then and she was still looking at him, her eyes dark with desire. She bit her lip, then pushed his jeans down to his thighs. Then she smiled sweetly and whispered, "Maybe you should finish that. Quickly."

He did push her hands away then and swiftly tossed off his shoes, stepped out of his pants, and shrugged out of his shirt. They were standing face to face then, just staring at each other. And then he realized all he wanted, and what he needed, was to make love to her, so he picked her up and carried her to the bed, placing her gently against the pillows. He took a moment to just look her over one more time and then he crawled into bed with her and covered her mouth with his. He felt her skin against his and he moaned again, finally settling himself on top of her.

**Connie**

It had been awhile since she'd had sex, with anyone. But she still remembered that no man who followed him had measured up. So she couldn't wait to feel his skin against hers, his lips on hers, and him inside her, make sure it was all the same as she remembered. She had looked in the mirror after she'd shed her clothes and hoped he wouldn't be disappointed. She'd stayed in shape, at least she weighed about the same, but age was telling on her, as it did every other woman. Full, mature breasts in her forties had lost some of that firmness, as she'd moved into her sixties. She had a slight pooch where there'd been none before. And her butt was sagging, which was probably the cruelest cut of all. Highlighting her hair covered any gray and she had a few lines around her eyes that weren't there before, but she thought – hoped – she'd held up reasonably well. She took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom naked.

She could feel his eyes raking over her and she could see he was already aroused. She really just wanted to run and jump in his arms, begging him to take her quickly, but she forced herself to take it slow. She undressed him slowly, thinking she would drag it out and heighten the anticipation, but when she took him in her hands and felt how hard he was, she lost her control. Then, when they were both undressed, he picked her up and carried her to the bed, following after her.

He pressed himself between her legs and she could already feel her pleasure building. His skin was warm and, amazingly, familiar. His lips on hers felt intoxicating and she learned quickly that he was still a fantastic kisser. His fingers were more callousy than she remembered, but she loved how they felt on her skin, that slight sandpaper feel that sent zingers to her core with every move. They were still kissing when he nudged her legs apart and she eagerly shifted against him and then took him in completely. She arched her back as she remembered how he'd made her feel all those years ago, how he felt inside her, filling her up, making her feel like she was soaring into the sky. The sensations she was feeling overwhelmed her as she moved rhythmically with his strokes. He slid his hands under her bottom and pressed her harder against him as he kept up his pace of long, powerful strokes.

Then, almost without warning, she moaned deep in her throat, squeezing him tightly inside her, arching her back again, and then it was like fireworks went off inside her. She was caught up in a bubble of pleasure, her orgasm seeming to last forever. She was barely conscious of hearing him groan and then let go himself. He collapsed on top of her and they held each other close, breathing hard. Her thoughts were bouncing all over the place. _Was he disappointed? Will he wish we hadn't done that? Does he feel the same things I do? Like we were high above the clouds and it was still the most magical thing ever?_

It felt like forever before they finally relaxed and, with a quick, hard kiss, he rolled off of her and onto his back. Their breathing had mostly returned to normal, but she still felt like every nerve ending she had was on fire. She turned to look at him and he looked at her. "Wow," he said, with a smile.

She smiled back, filled with relief. "Oh, yes," she said softly.

**Chip**

He hoped she wasn't disappointed with his sixty-four year old body. He still ran almost every day, so he was still in good shape, but the gray that was around his temples and in his beard was also in the hair on his chest. He wasn't as toned as he'd been, so there was some softness in his body that he told himself was a consequence of getting older. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he could see the toll of growing older, but it had been a long time since he'd tried to impress a woman. _She_ was a woman he wanted to impress.

He breathed out, his heart finally feeling like it had returned to normal, and rolled onto his side. He let his index finger trail down her cheek. "It felt the same as it did back then. Maybe better," he said.

She nodded. "Better," she said. "Definitely better." He smiled, then noticed her eyes were a little misty. "I hate that we lost so much time."

"Me too." He sighed. "I should have called you then. But so much time had passed and we'd sort of drifted apart and it felt…too late." He wound a strand of her hair around his finger.

She ran the back of her hand over his chest and then gave him a tiny smile. "Let's not do that again then. Let's not lose each other again."

He smiled. "I like that idea." He pulled her towards him as she laughed her throaty laugh. He settled back on his back and she laid her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. He chuckled. "I like this too." He kissed her on the forehead. "Are we too old for this?"

She moved her head to look up at him, a frown on her face. "Too old for what? A relationship?"

He'd been surprised to feel hard again so soon after the first time. He'd always thought, or assumed, that sex drive slowed down with age. He did know that the things that had gotten him aroused in the past didn't always do that now. A pretty woman in lingerie or a risqué photo in a magazine or on the internet. He could appreciate that, but that was it. He didn't feel attracted to other women as much or want to flirt the way he had in years past. He felt more like a grandfather, which, of course, was what he was. But seeing Connie, being with Connie, it was like nothing had changed from all those years ago. _2012_. That was when he'd first met her and it was in the fall of that year when they'd had that one magical weekend. He smiled at her then, brushing her lips with a kiss. "No, too old for _this_," he said and he rolled her over onto her back, hovering over her. He reached between her legs and smiled. "_This_," he whispered, as he slid back inside her.

**Connie**

The next morning, when she woke up, she was conscious of the pleasant soreness between her legs and the slight tenderness to her nipples. She felt a little sting on her face. Suddenly his arms were around her and she laughed as he peppered her neck and shoulder with kisses. "So you were quite the wanton one last night," he whispered in her ear. "And early morning."

She could feel herself blush. "I thought that was _you_," she said, with a laugh.

He hugged her tight. "Maybe it was both of us."

She was already hungry for him again. She had that heavy feeling between her legs, that tingling sensation she felt when she was anticipating sex. But this was more than sex. This was so achingly intimate, so personal, so…magical. They had made love over and over and it had made her feel like a young woman. _He_ made her feel that way.

She could feel his erection against her back and she shifted herself. "Whatever it was, I need it again," she murmured.

As he pushed inside her, he kissed her behind her ear. When he was fully and completely inside her, he said, "And I need to _do_ it to you again." Then she gave herself over to the exquisiteness that was being with him again.

**Chip**

He hated leaving her, but Addie was taking the afternoon off so they could get a head start to the Hamptons. She had her college weekend with Yoby and he had the weekend at the beach. He was mindful of the fact that they would need to be intentional about staying connected. She was all he could think about, as he walked along the beach back towards the beach house. She was all he could think about period. She consumed him. Addie had commented that he seemed distracted and he had worked to focus on her. She had teased him about his 'old friend' but it felt too new to talk about with her. He stopped for a moment, facing the ocean, watching the waves crash onto the shore, recede, then do it all again.

_He was holding her in his arms, not wanting to let go. "I hate leaving you," he said. "Now that I found you again."_

_She smiled up at him. "I know. I feel the same way. But now that we reconnected, we need to stay that way."_

_He nodded. "We'll figure it out."_

_Her face turned serious. "We have to. I can't lose you again."_

_He kissed her then, thinking about telling Addie he couldn't go to the beach and asking Connie to stay with him and not go to the Parents' Weekend._

Turned out she was having the same thoughts, but they decided they couldn't do that to their kids. But they also promised to see each other soon. She talked about coming to Denver and he considered going to LA with her afterwards. As he squinted through his sunglasses at the sun, he thought about the fact that he was finally happy. After all those years together and yet not, pretending that what they felt for each other wasn't there, trying to be honorable, just glad to be near each other, now they could be together. They _would_ be together. He put his hands in his pockets and he smiled.

What an amazing coincidence both of them had ended up in New York at the same time.

**Connie**

He opened the door at the knock and the room service attendant rolled in the cart. He then transferred plates of eggs, fruit, bagels, and bacon to a table, along with coffee and juice. She signed for the food, adding a nice tip, and they watched as he wheeled the cart back out. When the door closed, they looked at each other and smiled. She made a little dance move and pointed at the breakfast spread. "You hungry?" she asked.

He reached for her, pressing a kiss on her lips. "Hungry for you," he murmured.

She laughed and then turned out of his embrace. "Well, I need a little food first," she said, with a grin.

He held a chair out for her. "Your wish is my command, my dear."

She laughed as she sat and then watched as he made a plate for her. He placed it in front of her and then took the rest for himself. He picked up a bagel and spread cream cheese over it. She picked up a piece of bacon and bit off a small piece as she watched him. She couldn't help but feel hopeful about where things would end up for them this time, as opposed to that morning in the Tennessee mountains, when all she felt was despair.

He looked up then and frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She sighed. "Nothing really. Now. But I was just thinking about our weekend." She sighed again. "I always regretted how we had to pretend like we were just friends, all those years."

He nodded solemnly. "I know. Me too. But we don't have to do that now."

She smiled. "What time do you have to leave?" she asked. He grinned and dropped his bagel and they both headed back towards the bed.

* * *

She realized several times during the weekend that she was not paying attention to what was going on. She couldn't help but think about the night with Chip, and the promise of something more, so unlike the last time they'd spent together. When she had gotten home that Sunday, she'd distracted herself with Yoby and then, when he went to bed, she had cried herself to sleep. It had felt like a cruel joke, to have found the man of her dreams, only for him to be married with a family. And on top of that, for him to have been an honorable man.

And yet, she had been honorable too. She wasn't the kind of woman who would deliberately hurt another woman. Still, it had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. It had occurred to her that it was like life imitating art. Her character had been desperately in love with his. But when she'd finally gotten to that crossroads, where she had to think about someone other than herself, she'd chosen differently. The safer path, the _honorable_ path. And then they both lived intentional lives, at least as far as each other was concerned. They stayed in each other's orbit and yet found a place where they could coexist together. She and Chip had done the same.

She would sometimes catch him looking at her, a yearning on his face that would instantly turn into a smile, hoping she didn't notice. And she was sure he'd caught her the same way. But they worked at it, because they needed to be in each other's orbit. At least until the time it had become so painful for her that she had made the decision to leave. She remembered that last time she saw him, before she left Nashville for good. They were both so well known they couldn't just meet anywhere. They had gone to a place he knew about in Cheatham County. They had held each other and they had kissed each other and they had cried together. They had talked about the future, although separately. They had just sat together, his arms around her, for a long time. And then she'd put on a brave face and walked away. She felt a knot in her chest.

"Mom," came Yoby's impatient voice.

She turned to look at her son, who rolled his eyes. She walked over to him and smiled. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "I hope whatever is distracting you is worth it," he said, but she saw the hint of a smile and she just smiled back. Then she slid her arm through his and they headed for the next event.

**Chip**

He walked down the terminal walkway towards his gate. He felt a great sense of melancholy and he sighed. The Hamptons had been stunning and everything Addie had said it would be. She'd asked a few questions about his 'rendezvous', as she called it, and he had just smiled and repeated that he'd run into an old friend. He and Connie had talked about seeing each other again but actually hadn't made firm plans. But he certainly didn't want to make assumptions, so he thought it was better to keep it to himself for the time being. He decided he would text Connie when he got to the gate.

He stopped at one of the shops on the concourse and bought a magazine and a bottled water, then headed for the gate. When he made the turn into the gatehouse, he stopped. Surely it couldn't be her. The woman was sitting at an angle so that her back was almost completely to him. The small amount of her profile made it hard to be sure. She was reading a book, or rather, she was reading from a bookreader. She had on jeans and a t-shirt and one leg was crossed over the other. She was swinging her foot ever so slightly.

As if she knew he was staring at her, she looked up from what she was reading and glanced back over her shoulder. When she spotted him, she smiled. His heart was beating hard as he walked over and sat down next to her. "What are you doing here?" he asked, still surprised to see her there.

"Well, you _did_ say I should come to Nashville sometime, didn't you?" He nodded. She laughed softly. "So I decided now is as good a time as any. I knew some people who knew some people who got me on this flight and were able to get me the seat next to yours." She bit down on her bottom lip. "I hope the invitation is still good."

He smiled and reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing her fingers. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said. "This time we'll do it right."

_A/N: This is the end. I hope you enjoyed this moment in time for Chip and Connie. I hope to maybe do more of these down the road, but first, I promise to devote myself to the baby story. Thanks for reading and for all the encouraging reviews!_


End file.
